Businessweek Archives

Oscars: How Dare You Give Us Free Publicity?

February 27, 2007

? Market Swoon: Kiss Those IPOs Goodbye? |

Main

| Google Fights Click Fraud--Perceptions, Mostly ?

February 28, 2007

Oscars: How Dare You Give Us Free Publicity?

Rob Hof

So the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences asks YouTube to take down clips of Oscar moments such as Will Ferrell's musical number. OK, they're within their rights, but why pass up the attention, especially if you aren't going to rerun them anywhere else anyway? Even the official site, Oscar.com, apparently will take down clips to "whet people's appetite for next year's show." Huh? Studios have valid concerns about people running clips without permission, but what's the downside here?

02:15 PM

YouTube

TrackBack URL for this entry:

http://blogs.businessweek.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/

Seriously. It's not like I'm going out to buy the 2007 Oscars on DVD anytime soon. In an age where marketing people try to force viral marketing down people's throats, it amazes me when companies find ways to stamp out word-of-mouth and good will excitement towards their products.

Posted by: Ron Ayers at March 1, 2007 04:04 PM

Just another sign that "Hollywood" (and the academy) don't get it.

Are they within their legal rights to send a takedown notice?

Yes

Are they being shortsighted?

Yes.

What AMPAS should do, is put up their OWN clip on YouTube. With a commercial for something, or an FBI warning, or a preview for the "best picture" winner, to drive traffic to the theatre or to purchase a DVD.